Shadow's Sister
by Writer's Melody
Summary: Adeline's entire life is changed when her beloved sister confides that she is a mutant. Will the 11 year old be able to keep the secret? What about Bertille herself? Will things between them ever be the same again?
1. Chapter 1

"Adeline, I have something to tell you," Bertille began. The young woman beside her looked over at her curiously, but the curiosity was immediately replaced by concern as Adeline noted the pallor of her older sister's face. Normally serene and confident, Bertille seemed quite agitated. The girl immediately turned off the television (even though it was in the middle of a very interesting program they both enjoyed) and scooted closer to her sister. "You must promise not to tell anyone! It could… get me… in a lot of trouble if anyone else found out."

"Have I ever told anyone something you told me not to?" Adeline demanded, sitting up straighter. Though they were four years apart, they had become best friends. Ever since their father had died of a mysterious illness when Adeline was seven, the two of them had become practically inseparable. The suggestion that Adeline would betray her beloved older sister's confidence after four years of trustworthiness hurt her.

"No, but this is far more serious than what I was doing out so late, Addy," Bertille explained. Only somewhat mollified by the explanation and use of her pet name, Adeline sat back and waited for the rest of the explanation. "If anyone else knew, things could, no would, be… very bad for me and probably the rest of the family too. I know I can trust you and I need to tell someone."

"All right." Bertille sounded so desperate, how could she refuse? She was rewarded by a grateful smile from her sister.

"Well, as you know, I was with Belden last night." That wasn't news to Adeline; she had seen his car drive up the night before and it hadn't come back until that morning. "Last night, we… had sex for the first time," Bertille announced frankly. Adeline gasped; while she knew what went on behind closed doors between men and women, she had thought better of her sister. The risks had been explained to the 15 year-old so many times! How could she ignore them? What if she got pregnant or sick or…? Belden was 18! He should have known better…

Before she could say a word, Bertille leaned over and placed a finger across Adeline's lips. "I'm not finished. Please listen! After we were finished, he told me… he told me that he wanted to marry me someday. I was shocked! I hadn't known he was thinking like that." She paused and glanced down, trying to muster up the strength to continue. Adeline placed a hand on top of hers, surprised by how warm her sister's hand felt. "The covers… the covers around me started to heat up... I got out of bed and raced to the bathroom before he would notice.

"I jumped in the shower and turned it on, as cold as it could get. It steamed when it hit me, Addy!" Bertille was practically sobbing and her face was crumpling. "I think… I think I'm one of those mutants we've been hearing so much about…" Adeline jumped off the couch and backed away, staring at her sister through eyes wide with horror and disbelief.

Tears flowed down Bertille's cheeks as she slowly stood and extended her arms to Adeline. "Addy, please don't run away!" she begged. "I won't hurt you-"

"You don't know that!" the younger one replied, glancing wildly around for something to place between her and the… the thing in front of her. Mutants were freaks who used their powers to terrorize humans and get what they wanted, not her intelligent older sister, the darling of her parents. The living room was empty except for the couch. Bertille looked heartbroken.

"I'm the same me, Addy! The same Tilly who lets you stay up past your bedtime when she watches you for an evening, who tells you all her secrets, who takes your side when you are having a discussion with Mother or Gautier…" Slowly, she stepped towards Addy. "It's still me. Please, please don't turn on me! Everyone else will when they find out…"

That declaration terrified her. Bertille's grammar was always so correct; she only used "when" like that if what she was talking about was a certainty. Her older sister looked just as upset as she did. The room had definitely gotten warmer. Adeline took another step back, her eyes never leaving her sister's face as she backed away before turning and fleeing to the safety of her room. She could hear Bertille sobbing through her closed door.

Adeline merely hugged her knees to her chest and stared blankly at the floor. Her sister was a mutant. She knew what people said about them and she had even agreed with the person who had declared they should all be sent as far away from everyone else as possible. Her stepfather was a good man, but he was also a powerful one; if something like this was to get out, it could drastically affect his future. And her mother… Her mother wouldn't be able to stand the loss of another loved one.

All she had ever wanted was to be like her big sister. Intelligent, attractive, popular, loved… She didn't believe she was any of those things. Now, though, her sister had changed drastically and the path she was taking would be one that she couldn't follow… Unless… Was she a mutant, too?! How would she know? How long would it take to find out?

Bertille came and knocked at her door. "Addy?" Stubbornly, she stared at the doorknob. There was another soft knock, then silence, followed by a sigh as Bertille walked away. At last, Adeline began to sob, mourning for what she had lost and what was to come. Fear for her sister and herself choked her; even if she had wanted to call her sister back, she wouldn't be able to. She stared at the door, wondering if Bertille's touch had left a mark on the door.

"It's not her fault," she whispered. However, her mind rebelled against the knowledge. Why did she have to know? It was dangerous! What if the staff had been home and overheard or there parents? How was she going to keep this a secret? Would Bertille be able to get control of herself? Was there more she could do? Sick at heart, she crawled under the covers and let tears flow down her cheeks until she fell into a restless sleep plagued by nightmares.


	2. Chapter 2

Adeline woke up with a groan the next morning. "It wasn't a dream," she whispered, the events of the day before all too clear. Her face felt stiff. She stumbled to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, refusing to contemplate her sister's confession. She splashed some cold water on her face and picked up her hairbrush.

"Hello, Addy," Bertille said softly. She stiffened and turned to face her sister, who looked like she hadn't slept at all. Her eyes were swollen and her cheeks were stained with tears. Addy couldn't help but feel a surge of pity for her. Bertille sighed wistfully as she glanced at the brush in her hand. "You know, I've always envied your hair. So thick and soft and such a lovely color! I've always loved brushing it and helping you do it. Would- would you let me?"

Addy stared at her suspiciously. How could she trust her? There was no way of knowing what would happen… Bertille's eyes met hers. Finally, the older girl pursed her lips and nodded before turning to leave. Her heart broke. Tilly was still her beloved older sister and couldn't help what had happened and if she couldn't count on her little sister, who could she count on? "I will," she said.

Bertille paused and returned. "Really?" The look of relief and hope made it worth it. Adeline nodded and extended the brush towards Bertille. Their hands touched briefly and it was all Adeline could do to keep from flinching. Bertille began to brush her hair with gentle, soothing strokes. Neither of them spoke, afraid of breaking the fragile accord they had just reached.

Addy's hair fairly shined when Bertille was done. "Are you hungry?" Bertille asked. The audible rumbling of her stomach answered the question. Her sister grinned. "Let's go eat." Bertille offered Addy her hand and the air filled with tension as Addy stared at it questioningly. Just because she had decided to keep her sister's secret and acknowledged that she was the same person she had always been didn't mean that everything had to be the way it was. It couldn't be.

How could she refuse? For once, it was her sister who needed her instead of the other way around. Bertille, the strong, shining beacon of the family, who always held her when nightmares woke her up, who always comforted her when she was teased, who never laughed at her for her odd tastes in entertainment and food. Tentatively, she placed her hand in Bertille's and they walked into the kitchen, where their parents were waiting.

"Good morning," their mother said. They both gave her a smile that she returned warmly. Apparently, she hadn't noticed that anything was wrong and her stepfather was preoccupied as always. "There are waffles sitting on a plate on the counter, if you didn't see, and there is bacon in the frying pan. Gautier and I have to leave for work soon, so make sure you both get to school on time and clean up after yourselves." She glanced at her watch and Gautier nodded. "We have to leave. Have a good day!"

"Good-bye, Mother! Good-bye Gautier!" they chorused, following their guardians with their eyes. Bertille placed two waffles and two slices of bacon on a plate and put it in front of Addy, who had hopped onto one of the barstools at the counter.

"Here you go. What would like to drink?" Bertille asked.

"Could I please have a glass of milk?" she asked. Bertille nodded and poured her a glass before serving herself.

"So, is anything exciting happening today?" Bertille asked. Addy shook her head and took another bite of syrup-drenched waffle. "Is that good or bad?" She shrugged. Bertille threw her hands in the air, rolling her eyes. Attempts to communicate with her sister were clearly failing, so she gave up- for the moment.

The rest of the morning was fairly routine. They took their showers and dressed. It was amazing how much better Bertille looked after brushing her hair, washing her face, and putting on make up. There was no way to tell that she had barely closed her eyes the night before. They sat down on the sofa in the living room and turned on the television, switching channels until their buses arrived. "Take care, Addy!" Bertille said as she boarded the bus.

"You, too!" she called; the stakes were too high for Bertille to be careless. One outburst could ruin everything…


	3. Chapter 3

Adeline's bus arrived moments later. The driver smiled kindly at her but she didn't have the heart to return it. She moved towards the back of the bus, ignoring the invitations from her friends that were already there. At the next stop, her best friend got on, smiling and waving at her. Naeva plopped into the seat beside her.

"Hi, Adeline, how are you?" she asked. The brightness of her friend's tone, to say nothing of Naeva's loudness, grated.

"Just fine, yourself?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm great! Yesterday..." Her mind wandered while her friend rattled on about… well, she didn't know what. There were much more important things to think about. "You didn't hear a word I just said did you?"

"No," she admitted. "Sorry." To her, her apology sounded as insincere as it was. Naeva accepted it, though, and that was what was important. Her friend shrugged and draped an arm around her shoulder.

"That's okay. Do you want to come over tonight and check out my new semi-automatic rifle?" her friend asked

"What?!" Naeva giggled.

"Just wanted to see if you still weren't paying attention. Seriously, though, do you want to come over and do some homework and make use of the new plasma TV?"

"Sure," she said. It would be a welcome distraction from what waited for her at home.

"Great! Make sure you let your parents know! Remember how freaked out your mom got last time, when you didn't?"

"How could I forget?" she muttered. Once again, Naeva giggled.

"No one could! Come on, you have to admit that it was funny."

"Yes, once I was no longer grounded and she stopped using it to send me on guilt trips." The bus came to a stop. They had arrived. Silently, she followed Naeva out. Her best friend did enough talking for the both of them as they found the rest of their "group." She sighed. It was going to be a very long day.

When it finally ended, she wanted nothing more than to go home and relax. However, that wasn't an option. "Come _on_, Adeline!" Naeva called. "This is our stop."

"So it is," she muttered.

She followed her friend down the block, around a corner, and down the street towards a cute little one story home. Seeing as it was just Naeva and her mother, it didn't really need to be any bigger. Mrs. Descartes opened the door for them, smiling warmly. Traces of her former beauty were still evident, even though her looks were fading under the combined forces of time and stress.

"Come on in, dears. How lovely to see you, Adeline!" Mrs. Descartes really reminded her of her mother in a lot of ways. Maybe that was why she had always felt so comfortable with her. So what if Naeva's family didn't have the income that hers did? It didn't matter in the end.

The time she spent with her friend helped a lot in its way. It was so nice to be able to relax and laugh. For all that she was very energetic and random and fun-loving, Naeva was a very smart girl and they were able to finish their homework in record time. At last it was time to head home.

She took her time walking home. It was a lovely day. Adeline sighed when entered. "I'm home!" she announced.

"It's just me," her sister said, rounding the corner. Bertille looked pale and maybe a little feverish.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"No."


	4. Chapter 4

Her sister wasn't prone to exaggerating. Adeline's eyes widened as she stepped towards her sister. "What happened?" she demanded. Both girls winced at her tone. There was no need to be harsh. "What happened?" she repeated more gently.

She moved towards her sister. Bertille stiffened for a moment but when Adeline threw her arms around her, she began to sob and hugged her almost too tightly for comfort. "I am a mutant," she whispered. "There's no doubt about it."

Adeline couldn't help herself. Her heart broke and she could almost hear her sister's heart shattering. Before, when there was only the suspicion, it had been bearable. Was it really so terrifying that her sister was a mutant? She couldn't help herself, though. There was a suppressed sob as her strong, lovely sister sagged against the wall.

The air in the room heated up. "Belden and I hung out a little after school today," she began. "He had to stay for football practice but… Anyway, we went out back and started-" Here Bertille paused and blushed.

Adeline could only imagine what that meant. She patiently waited for the story to continue. Much as she wanted to hear it, it had to be told in its own way. Otherwise it would never be told.

"I felt… heat building up, like good news you're dying to share but has to be told at the right moment." She understood that feeling. "I opened my eyes. Next thing I know, the tree in front of me, behind Belden, was on fire." They both shuddered.

It went without saying that had put an end to whatever activities Bertille had been engaged in. It went without saying that Belden didn't know what had caused the tree to burst into flame. It went without saying that nothing would ever be the same.

"I am still me, Adeline. Don't ever forget that," she whispered. "Nothing has changed. This is just a part of who I am…" But it changed everything.

"What are you going to do?" she asked. Her sister shrugged. That was so unlike her! Normally she knew exactly what a situation called for and how to deliver it. She was sure that nothing was beyond Bertille's abilities to deal with.

"I should talk to Mother at least about this," she said. Adeline nodded her agreement. "Chances are it'll come out eventually. She'll be able to help me break it to Gautier."

"I am here for you," Adeline declared. Mutant or not, Bertille was still her sister. That would never change. Ever.


	5. Chapter 5

There might have been something endearing about the scene had it not been for the expressions on their faces. It was clear there would be no cause for celebration once Bertille's piece had been spoken. The two parents, sitting on the couch and holding each other's hands while their eldest daughter paced the floor in front of them as her younger sister stared at her expectantly.

It had been decided to break the news to their guardians in one fell swoop. Hopefully they wouldn't regret the decision! No one spoke a word. The only sound was the rather loud ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. "There's no easy way to say this or make it better," she began abruptly.

Adeline didn't know who to watch- her sister or her parents. "I am one of those mutants." Her shoulders slumped in relief. Bertille had said it. Now for the reaction. The two adults stared at the young woman blankly as if what she'd just said required translation.

"Are you sure?" their mother asked. Silence once again as her older sister nodded. Adeline admired Bertille's courage. Would she have been able to say it like that? Probably not. To her credit, their mother only smile.

It was her beloved daughter who was speaking. Gautier on the other hand, looked… very angry. Adeline glared at him as he bit his lip. She could already imagine what was about to come out of his mouth.

"You are NOT to leave this house until further notice. There will be no visitors allowed either." His tone would broke no disobedience. "Adeline, if you so much as think of a word of this outside of these walls, so help me, you will live to regret it. I can't have this right now!"

"Don't worry Gautier, this won't hurt your chances for reelection," Bertille said flatly. "I'll call work and school, tell them I've come down with mono or something. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone. I'll be in my room… until further notice."

Stunned silence followed the announcement. Adeline watched Bertille disappear. As usual, she was trying to do the right thing. Would secluding herself really make things better? Or was it some new and subtle form of manipulation or martyrdom? Whatever it was, her mother and Gautier seemed very relieved. "I'll be in my room too," she said suddenly, unable to take the atmosphere any longer.

She had expected a scene of some kind. The fact that there hadn't really been one didn't bode well. They expected Bertille to clean up the mess somehow and didn't really want to think about. They didn't know what she could do. Adeline did. Even though the sun was still high in the sky and the air was warm, she shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.


End file.
